1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a connector assembly for a surgical instrument and, more particularly, to a connector assembly for securing a surgical tool to a housing of a surgical instrument.
2. Background Description
Connector assemblies in surgical instruments play an important role in the efficacy and safety of the surgical instrument. That is, a surgical instrument will not be deemed safe and effective without a connector assembly which can properly secure the surgical tool to the housing of the surgical instrument. It is with this in mind that manufacturers of surgical instruments give the utmost attention and care to the design and manufacture of connector assemblies.
Connector assemblies are designed to lock the surgical tool to the housing of the surgical instrument. Although many connector assemblies are currently manufactured and sold worldwide for use in surgical instruments, there is certainly concern that many of these connector assemblies do not maintain a secure connection. It is also noted that many of these connector assemblies can only secure a surgical tool to the housing with cumbersome tools, which have a tendency of breaking or being lost. In any of these scenarios, the surgical instrument may be rendered useless, thus requiring the disposal of the surgical instrument.
By way of explanation, in order to mount and secure a surgical tool such as a surgical saw blade to a housing of the surgical instrument it is necessary to place the surgical saw blade into a collet of the surgical instrument. Thereafter, the collet is rotated by a key or a special tool so as to press fit (e.g., friction fit) the surgical saw blade between opposing arms of the collet. However, these type of collets have a tendency to become “stripped” during the mounting of or removal of the surgical saw blade. In the cases when the collet becomes stripped or otherwise rendered inoperable, the surgical instrument must either be discarded or retrofitted with a new collet.
A further shortcoming of press or friction fitting the surgical tool within the collet of the surgical instrument is the fact that the surgical tool can easily become dislodged or loosened during the surgical procedure. This typically happens due to the reciprocating or rotational movement of the surgical tool during the surgical procedure. The loosening or dislodgement of the surgical tool may also be the result of an overused or deteriorated collet, or simply due to the force applied by the surgeon on the surgical instrument during the surgical procedure.
What is thus needed is a connector assembly that is easy to use and which securely mounts and locks the surgical tool to the surgical instrument. Such an assembly would preferably be a keyless system.